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Indiana University Studies 
Britain’' and that it had been reduced to this position by 
Adams’ '‘diplomatised Administration”/^ Had the diplomatic 
game succeeded, all might have been well, but unfortunately 
in this instance it had failed. The changes were continually 
rung on this fact by the Opposition press. 
The end of the matter is . . . that the executive in this diplo- 
matic game have lost Bishops, Castles, Knights, and Queen, and they 
are now afraid to move even in Congress, lest they should be “check- 
mated’’.^^ 
Soon after the real attitude of the British Government 
became known, the Administration had decided to submit 
the whole matter to Congress, and, altho Adams well realized 
the possibility of being "checkmated” by the Opposition in 
Congress, he had adhered to this decision. He believed that 
there was no alternative left the United States but "resistance 
or submission”. He himself favored resistance but was con- 
tent to leave the choice to Congress.^® He therefore informed 
Congress : 
The refusal ... of Great Britain to negotiate, leaves to the United 
States no other alternative than that of regulating or interdicting alto- 
gether the trade on their part, according as either measure may affect 
the interests of our own country; and, with that exclusive object, I 
would recommend the whole subject to your calm and candid delibera- 
tions.^' 
As to the precise action which should be taken, Adams held 
the opinion that "there should be an act of Congress totally 
interdicting the trade with all the colonies, both in the West 
Indies and in North America”. But the same act, he believed, 
should provide "for the reopening of the trade upon terms of 
reciprocity whenever the British Government should be dis- 
posed to assent to them”. If Congress should think proper 
to accept participation in the trade even without entire reci- 
procity, he wished them only to consider and determine how 
far they would be willing to concede advantages to British 
shipping to the detriment of American. As for himself, he 
"would advise no concession” but "would acquiesce in any 
that Congress would sanction”. 
Bills drafted in accordance with the views of the President 
Richmond Enquirer, Dec. 12, 1826. 
New York Evening Po-st {for the country), Dec. 29, 1826. 
Memoirs of John Quincy Adams, VII, 166. 
Richardson, Messages and Papers, II, 355. 
‘S Memoirs of John Quincy Adams, VII, 213, 214. 
